(Discover even more words in The Writer’s Body Lexicon.)

Can Feet Talk?

Bob Fosse said that choreography is writing on your feet. Intriguing thought. Every good performance does tell a story.

Actor/comedian W. C. Fields took a humorous view of feet when he said, “Ah, the patter of little feet around the house. There’s nothing like having a midget for a butler.”

Abe Lincoln said, “Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.”

This post provides hundreds of ways to depict feet, whether they be clumsy, capable, funny, humongous, or …

Emotion Beats and Physical Manifestations

When combined with context, the body language of feet can show emotion.

Alarm, anxiety, concern
pacing
inability to keep one’s feet still

Amusement
tapping one’s feet
crashing into things while one guffaws

Attraction
moving closer to object of affection
pointing one’s feet toward object of affection

Boredom, disinterest
tapping one’s toes
swinging one’s feet while one is seated

Cooperation
increasing proximity to another person
pointing one’s feet toward another person

Determination, stubbornness
planting one’s feet in a wide stance
stomping into another character’s personal space

Disappointment
shuffling one’s feet
kicking at something

Disgust
curling up one’s toes
standing with one’s feet close together

Distraction
pacing
inability to keep one’s feet still

Doubt
shuffling one’s feet
taking a step backward

Eagerness
pointing one’s feet forward
shifting from one foot to the other while one is standing

Embarrassment
shuffling one’s feet
locking one’s ankles around the legs of a chair

Evasion, deceit
turning one’s feet toward an exit
assuming closed body posture, one’s legs crossed

Excitement
tapping one’s feet
hopping from foot to foot

Fear
increasing personal space
angling one’s feet away from person or object of fear

Frustration
stomping one’s feet
pacing with short steps

Intimidation, self-assurance
rocking back onto one’s heels
planting one’s feet in a wide stance

Need to empty one’s bladder
tapping one’s feet while one is seated
shifting from one foot to the other while one is standing

Rage
planting one’s feet in a wide stance
stepping toward object of one’s rage in an effort to intimidate

Uncertainty
shuffling one’s feet
rocking on one’s feet

Worry
tapping one’s feet
standing in scissors stance (with one’s legs crossed)

If you need additional beats, consult a body language dictionary. (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)

Adjectives to Describe Feet

Heed opinion adjectives and how they affect point of view.

Consider adding shoe size and width if appropriate.

A to L

A and B
abnormal, abraded, adventurous, agile, aimless, antsy, arthritic, artificial, atrophied, attractive, awkward, bandaged, bare, beautiful, beribboned, birdlike, blistered, bony, bootless, bouncy, bound, brave, bristly, bumbling

C
capable, careless, catlike, cautious, chafed, chained, chubby, chunky, clammy, clean, clumsy, clunky, cold, concealed, confident, contaminated, contrary, cool, cumbersome

D and E
dainty, damp, daredevil, dauntless, decrepit, delicate, determined, diminutive, dirty, disobedient, dogged, double-jointed, doughy, dripping, dry, dusty, eager, effeminate, elephantine, elfin, energetic, enormous, errant, exposed

F
fast, fat, fatigued, fearless, feckless, feminine, fettered, fidgety, filthy, fine-boned, flagging, flaky, fleet, fleshy, flexible, floppy, floury, foolhardy, foolish, footsure, foul, fragile, fragrant, frail, freakish, freaky, frisky, frosty, furrowed, furry, furtive, fuzzy

G
gangling, ginormous, girly-girl, gnarled, gooey, gorgeous, gouty, graceful, graceless, greasy, grimy, gritty, grotesque, grubby, grungy, gung-ho, gunky, gutsy

H and I
hairless, hairy, half-grown, hasty, heavy, hesitant, hidden, hideous, high-maintenance, hobbled, humongous, huge, icy, immaculate, impatient, impeccable, impetuous, imprisoned, inaudible, incapable, indefatigable, inept, infected, inflamed, inflexible, intrepid, invisible, irritated

J to L
jumbo, klutzy, knobbly, lame, leaden, lean, leathery, Lilliputian, limber, limp, listless, lithe, little, lively

M to W

M and N
maimed, maladroit, mammoth, manacled, mangled, manicured, manly, masculine, massive, meaty, metal, misshapen, moist, monstrous, mucky, muddy, muffled, muscular, mutinous, naked, nervous, nimble, noiseless, numb

O and P
obdurate, odd, oily, overconfident, oversized, padded, painful, pampered, paralyzed, patient, peculiar, pedicured, peeling, persistent, perverse, petite, plump, poky, porky, powerful, powerless, prodigious, pudgy, puffy, puny, purposeful

R
raw, rebellious, relentless, reluctant, reptilian, repulsive, resolute, restive, restless, rheumatic, roaming, roly-poly, rough, roving, rugged

S
sandaled, sand-covered, scabrous, scaly, scrubbed, sensitive, shackled, shaggy, shaky, shod, shriveled, silent, silky, sinewy, skeletal, slimy, slippered, slippery, slow, sluggish, smooth, sneaky, sodden, soft, soggy, sooty, sore, spindly, sprightly, springy, spry, spunky, squishy, stalwart, stealthy, steel-toed, sticky, stiff, stinky, stockinged, strong, stubborn, sturdy, supple, sure-footed, swaddled, swathed, sweaty, swift

T
tenacious, tender, ticklish, tiny, tired, tireless, toasty-warm, too-large, tough, translucent, trapped, troublesome, twisted

U
ugly, unattractive, unblemished, unbound, uncomfortable, uncooperative, uncoordinated, underdeveloped, unerring, unfettered, unflagging, ungainly, unhurried, unprotected, unseen, unsightly, unstable, unsteady, unswerving, unusual, unwashed, unwieldly, unwilling, upturned, useless

V to W
visible, vulnerable, wandering, wayward, weak, weary, weather-beaten, wee, weird, well-upholstered, wet, withered, wizened, wrapped

Similes and Metaphors

For centuries, authors and poets have included feet in writing and poetry.

Her pretty feet like snails, did creep … ~ Robert Herrick

Her feet beneath her petticoat,
Like little mice, stole in and out … ~ Sir John Suckling

A baby’s feet, like sea-shells pink …
Like rose-hued sea-flowers … ~ Algernon Charles Swinburne

Innovative phrasing often becomes part of vernacular. But you want to create, not copy, right?

Replace Clichés With Your Own Wording

For example:

His feet smelled like rotten fish: His feet reeked worse than a toxic-waste dump.

His feet were as big as boats: His feet were titanic aircraft carriers.

His feet were as warm as toast: His feet were as warm as bread fresh from the oven.

Her feet were as cold as ice cubes: Her cold feet were the perfect accompaniment to her icy attitude.

Colors

Feet usually match skin color. Here are a few suggestions to get you started.

B to T
bloodstained, bloody, blue, discolored, florid, freckled, painted, pale, pink, purple, red, rosy, scarlet, snow-white, splotchy, stained, sunburnt, tanned

See 300+ Words to Describe Skin for more choices.

Scents

Scents evoke powerful memories. The best writers find judicious ways to include them.

Certain medical conditions affect foot odor. Likewise with walking in, over, or through objects in the environment.

Feet might smell like, reek of, or be redolent with the scent of:

A to Y
ashes, a barnyard, the beach, buttermilk, cheese, chlorine, cleaning fluid, clover, creeping thyme, dead things, dog poop, foot spray, fresh air, kitty litter, lavender, leather, manure, mold, morning dew, moss, mowed grass, pine needles, rotten eggs, salami, seaweed, sewage, soap, stale beer, stale carpeting, tear gas, tidal pools, urine, vomit, work boots, yeast

Shapes

One approach for adding shapes is to incorporate common objects in similes. For example: feet shaped like the box his shoes came in.

A podiatrist or orthopedic surgeon might spout unfamiliar terminology. However, even a mass-market audience would find some of the following words acceptable when inserted into the dialogue of a foot professional.

A to M
angular, arched, asymmetrical, blocky, broad, cavoid, Celtic, clubbed, crippled, crooked, deformed, distorted, Egyptian, flat, Germanic, Giselle, Greek, hammer-toed, high-arched, long, mallet-toed

N to W
narrow, Neanderthal, neutral arch, peasant, pes cavus, pes planus, pes valgus, pigeon-toed, pronated arch, rectus, Roman, rounded, shapeless, slim, splay-footed, square, stubby, stumpy, supinated arch, symmetrical, talipes cavus, tapered, web-toed, wide

Verbs and Phrasal Verbs

Feet that perform seemingly sentient actions are frowned upon by many editors. However, every author has — or should have — a distinct voice. Review these verbs to see if they suit your purpose, remembering that you can sneak them in with sentences like:

He woke to the din of steel-toed feet stomping over the cement.

Invisible feet wandered through the halls, their ghostly owners shrieking and weeping.

A to C
abandon, ache, adhere, advance, angle, arch, ascend, balloon, bang, bleed, block, blunder, bounce, bound, bulge, burn, cake  with [sand, mud], caper, cavort, climb, cling, clomp, conquer, crack, cramp, creep, crush, curl

D to F
dance, dangle, dawdle, descend, dilly-dally, disobey, droop, expand, extend, fail, falter, fatigue, file, flap, flatten, flex, float, flop, flounder, follow, founder, fracture, freeze, frisk, frolic

G to M
galumph, gambol, glide, go, grow, halt, harden, hit, hobble, hop, hurdle, hurry, inflame, jig, jump, kink, lag, leap, lengthen, limp, lollygag, lumber, lurch, march, meander, mosey, mount, move

N to R
navigate, obey, ooze, pace, pad, parade, patrol, persist, perspire, pitter-patter, plod, poke, pound, prance, press forward, prickle, pulse, pussyfoot, quit, reek, remain, rollick, romp, rub

S
scale, scamper, scoot, scurry, scuttle, shamble, shift, shuffle, skate, ski, skip, slide, slip, slog, smack, smart, sneak, spill out of [one’s shoes], splash, splay, spread, spring, stagger, step, stick, stiffen, sting, stink, stir, stomp, stop, straggle, strike, stroke, struggle, stumble, sweat, swell, swing

T to W
tangle, tap, tense, throb, thump, tighten, tingle, tire, touch, toughen, trail (after, in), tramp, tread, trip, tromp, troop, trudge, turn, twitch, wander, weaken, widen

Nouns

Carefully chosen alternatives for feet can suggest shape, size, and/or scent.

A to P
aircraft carriers, banana  boats, Bigfoot boogie boards, boat decks, boot stinkers, clodhoppers, clogs, dogs, fins, flippers, footsies, ground huggers, gunboats, hikers, hoofs, hooves, ice-blocks, kangaroo kickers, kickers, leg props, pads, paws, pedal pushers, pedalers, pontoons

R to Y
racers, runners, Sasquatch slippers, shoe stuffers, smellies, sock stuffers, soles, steamrollers, steppers, stinkers, stompers, tootsies, troll tootsies, trotters, twin beavertails, twin kayaks, twin skateboards, twin snowboards, walkers, Yeti sleds

Props

A prop may spark new scenarios or subplots. Search images.google.com for more ideas.

A to F
acupuncture, anklets, athlete’s foot, barnacles, blisters, boot scraper, burrs, cacti, calluses, clogs, cockroach, corns, depilatory, earthworm, elastic bandage, flip-flops, floor cracks, foot fetish, foot powder, foot spray, footbath, freckles, frog, frostbite

G to P
garden slug, grave, hosiery, hot pavement, insole(s), lotion, mani-pedi, missing toe(s), moccasins, Morton’s neuroma, Morton’s toe, nail polish, nailbrush, nylons, orthopedic surgeon, pebbles, pedicurist, perfume, permanent marker, piercing, plantar fasciitis, plantar wart, podiatrist, prosthesis, pumice stone

R to W
rough carpeting, sand, sandals, scar, shoes, skin whitener, slippers, snake, snow, snowshoes, socks, splint, sunburn, tattoo, toad, toe cushions, toe jams, toe ring(s), toe shoes, toenails, trench foot, wound

Clichés and Idioms

Many people have expressed thoughts that include feet and stars. As a result, editors might consider similar phrasing cliché. For instance:

Look up at the stars and not down at your feet. ~ Stephen Hawking

Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground. ~ Theodore Roosevelt

Stretching his hand up to reach the stars, too often man forgets the flowers at his feet. ~ Jeremy Bentham

Replaceable Clichés and Idioms

Clichés and idioms might function well for dialogue and some narrators, but they often lead to undue repetition. Here’s a short list with suggested replacements.

a foot in the door: break, chance, opportunity, prospect

a kick in the teeth: betrayal, disappointment, letdown, obstacle, setback

at somebody’s feet: committed, devoted, loyal, reverent, steadfast

back on one’s feet: better, healthy, mended, recovered

dead on one’s feet: bushed, exhausted, overtired, spent

dragging one’s feet: hesitant, reluctant, unenthusiastic

feet of clay: failing, flaw, weakness

itchy feet: restlessness, yearning

light on one’s feet: agile, graceful, nimble

on one’s own feet: autonomous, independent, self-sufficient

run off one’s feet: busy, overloaded, overtaxed, overworked

standing with both feet on the ground: logical, practical, pragmatic, realistic, sensible

swept off one’s feet: captivated, charmed, enamored, infatuated

thinking on one’s feet: creative, innovative, inventive, resourceful

to cut the ground from under somebody’s feet: block, impede, obstruct, prevent

to get one’s feet wet: attempt, endeavor, try

to go on foot: hike, stroll, walk

to have cold feet: backpedal, reassess, reconsider

to land on one’s feet: be fortunate or lucky, endure, outlast, survive

to pull the carpet from under somebody’s feet: derail, hinder, overturn, scuttle

to shake the dust from one’s feet: abandon, bolt, decamp, leave

to take a load off one’s feet: break, pause, relax, rest

under someone’s feet: bothersome, underfoot

with a foot in both camps: ambivalent, conflicted, indecisive, undecided

with a foot in one’s mouth: inappropriate, indecorous, unseemly, unsuitable

with two left feet: awkward, clumsy, gawky, inept

Consider the words of Zeno: “Better to trip with the feet than with the tongue.”

If you include feet in your writing, do so with purpose and finesse.